Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

Elisheba

Morning, all,

I decided this morning as I was still feeling a bit rundown and bleurgh to book today and tomorrow off as annual leave, and have a self care long weekend. Which is basically going to involve me reading a lot and not doing much else. The weather forecast isn't great which works in my favour, as then I won't be feeling guilty about not being outside and enjoying the good weather.

I was having a think about finances yesterday and how to best manage them. What I've decided to do is transfer a set amount - it's just a small amount - to premium bonds each month, and then at the end of the month anything else I have in excess will be transferred over as well.

Currently everything sits in an easy access account with 5.12% interest, and is just transferred to my main account as it is needed. Theoretically, leaving everything in there is the best financial decision, but I've decided it's too easy to access and I can't see what is savings.

I'm still going to leave all my annuals pots money in there, and there is also a pot of money waiting for the interest free period on a credit card to run out sitting in there as well, so I'll still be getting a good amount of interest. I'll just have taken out the money that doesn't have a specific purpose, so then I can't easily overspend knowing in the back of my mind it's there so it will be okay.

So the premiums bonds won't give me the same return (unless I have an unexpected win) but actually the money is less likely to be spent, so it's better off there. It's never going to be a huge amount of money so the returns will be minimal anyway. It takes a few days to transfer it over so I will need to think carefully when I want it, or that's the theory anyway. 

I still haven't decided what to do about my hair. I think I want to grow it out, but I'm bridesmaid at my friend wedding in late August and I don't want to look rubbish in the pictures. It's difficult - I get all on my high horse about simple living and not putting all those chemicals into the water system, then I go into the office and everyone is nicely turned out and I think, I don't want to look old and dowdy! There isn't any right answer really. I did look at some old FB pics from when I grew my hair out during the pandemic and it looks a lot better than I remember it, so its mainly just the growing it out stage. 

Spending wise, I want to buy some Araldite as one of the legs has fallen off the cheap pair of specs I bought just after Xmas. It's not the screw but the little bit that fits into the leg that's broken, and I think some glue will fix it. I went to use the Araldite I had in the drawer but one of the tubes has gone solid so had to throw them both away. I might be able to fix my old sunglasses as well, so I will have them as a spare pair.

Silly dog seems to think that as I'm not upstairs working that means we should play fetch, and he keeps running up to me with his ball. I don't think he has quite grasped the concept of self care and rest days! The heavens are due to open soon, so not sure what I'll do about a walk. No point going somewhere lovely for a nice long walk if it's pouring down. 

I have some HM soup in the fridge for lunch but no bread made, so I'll have to use some of the shop bought bread in the freezer.  I've defrosted wraps to have for dinner, filled with fried mushrooms, peppers, onions and possibly some Quorn chicken - mixed together with a stock cube it's very nice. Then add some greek yogurt and grated cheese and it's a lovely meal, albeit quite messy to eat!

Hope everyone has a good day, and stays warm and dry. It really doesn't feel like summer weather at the moment.

Elisheba

Just a little update on the hair dye. I've decided to use a semi permanent one - quite a bit darker than my hair currently, but hopefully fairly similar to my natural colour (sans the grey). Hopefully this means I can grow my hair out, but hiding the fact it's two different colours and it won't permanent colour or bleach what I'm growing out. Then when it's decent length I can stop dying it. That's the theory anyway - fingers crossed it works!

Moorviews

Enjoy your rest days and a respite from the usual schedule. Hopefully your dog will get with the flow soon! It certainly has been chilly with a northerly wind here. I still wrap up in my thick dressing gown in the morning. Good thinking on moving some savings out of sight into Premium Bonds. With a bit of luck you might get a little win as a reward. 

Hair seems to require so much decision making; I am currently contemplating how much to chop off. I cut it myself so I shall probably go inch by inch as usual. It would be nice to have a restyle, however my hair is so awkward unfortunately. 

The wraps sound very tasty and I shall be trying that out soon. 

Elisheba

Evening, all,

Can't believe it's Sunday night and I'm back to work tomorrow. The 4 days have just flown by. I think I feel a bit more rested and energetic so hopefully the time off was useful. The wraps were very nice @Moorviews - I made them with halloumi rather than Quorn in the end as I had some in the fridge. Very messy as predicted!

I have just finished noting down all my long weekend spends in my Notion spending tracker.  Everything is comfortably within budget so far so that's good. I didn't buy anything big this weekend, just a few household bits and pieces, and coffee and cake out one day.

I'm vaguely on top of household tasks - cat litter is changed, dishwasher on, bins out, and birds fed. I saw some very cheap suet balls at BnM earlier - 150 for £11 or £12. The birds are absolutely mad for them and I'm rationing them to 2 a day, but they just disappear, so it is good to know where I can pick some up reasonably. 

I made made a meal plan for the week earlier on, and then remembered I have wraps and loads of stuff in the fridge that need using up, so I've had to rejig it. So the week will be porridge with fruit and honey for breakfast, and HM vegetable soup and hm bread for lunch (must remember to put the bread maker on at breakfast time).  Then dinner will be vegetable and halloumi wraps x 2, feta and olive pesto pasta x 2, hm pizza x 1, egg, beans and chips x 1, and pie and new potatoes with carrots and peas x 1.

My hair dye has arrived so one night this week I'll get that done. I have Beavers on Monday night, then a Teams planning session for a hen do. Tuesday is church house group. Wednesday I'll probably do my hair. Thursday super early to bed for a 5am start, Friday collapse on sofa and watch mind numbing TV, and Saturday I think I have a friend visiting. Things I need to do next weekend I can plan closer to the time.

I have about 8 pints of milk, and some.snack so hopefully I won't need to run to the shop at all during the week. Making sure the house is shiny and clean for my friend visiting next weekend is going to be tough, but I'll just have to try and get tasks done each day. It's clothes washing day tomorrow so that will be the first task.

Hope everyone has had a great weekend. I'm off now to read a children's book called The Weirdstone of Brisingamen. I read it as a child, but have taken a notion to read the series again. 

Elisheba

Morning, all,

You could have knocked me down with feathers this morning.  Silly dog didn't wake up and start woo'ing for his breakfast and to be let out and to have cuddles until after 8am!  That is the first time he has slept so late since the clocks went back!  So I had a proper lie in, which I think has been as good as a few days off in getting me back to normal energy and motivation levels.

I heard on a YT video last night self discipline described as the ability to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.  Its so simple, but actually so hard to do in real life and it takes practice.  I'm not too bad at it these days but it just takes a few bumps in my mental health and what needs to be done feels like a mountain range.  I am going to take it as my motto though I think - all my organisation should be focused around that.  Doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.  

So in that vein I got up this morning and fed the animals, put the bread in the breadmaker, emptied the dishwasher, and made breakfast and coffee.  So all in all was quite organised and got everything that I needed to do done before work.  This afternoon I need to make lunch, take silly dog for a walk, work out what we'll do at Beaver tonight, put a washing on, and do work as well.  This evening will be Beavers, then home for dinner, a Teams chat with a friend with some Hen do planning thrown in, hang up washing (inside - the forecast isn't great) and maybe dye my hair.  

The house is currently smelling amazing from the last stages of the bread in the breadmaker, and I'm about to have a work meeting so I'll leave it there for now.  Hope everyone is having a good start to the week.

Makingabobor2

So nice to get a lie in. I've had a few this last week, due to feeling ill with covid, but they have definitely helped. Not had 8hrs sleep a night in ages.  Hopefully silly dog will want a few more late mornings in future. 

Elisheba

Afternoon, frugal friends,

Yes, sadly @Makingabobor2 silly dog was awake fairly early again this morning.  Only 7am so not too bad, but I prefer 8am!

I dyed my hair this morning.  Its darker than I expected, and a few different shades due to the previously dyed parts which had been bleached, and my roots which haven't been bleached.  Its doesn't look that bad though and I suspect will fade a bit as its semi permanent.  Hopefully this will all lead to a smooth move over to au natrelle when its is long enough.

Had my water bill through today.  Not sure if I mentioned on here, but I got a water meter filled really quickly when I requested one despite all the warnings the company made that it could takes months and months.  Due to the warnings I phoned them and got them to put me on an assessed rate before the meter was fitted so I am currently paying £35 a month.  Looking at the water meter reading and dividing up all the charges, I am only using just less than £20 a month.  I'll wait until the next bill comes in in another 6 months time though before I change my payments, so I have better data.

There is also a small amount left over from last year that needs paid - can't remember why exactly.  It was something to do with moving over to an assessed rate and not getting charged for one month. Anyway overpaying for the next few months will sort that out and give me a little extra as well.  It was very much worth moving over to a meter though - longer term that will save me £30 odd a month.

I need to go to the shop for cheese at lunchtime, so will walk silly dog near there.  

Hope everyone has a lovely day.

Elisheba

Evening, all,

Just winding down in bed after an enjoyable evening at church home group with lots of lovely chats.

MSE things today -
🌞A free evening out at home group, with good company and chat by the fire, and tea and biscuits provided 
🌞Washing done on a 20 degree, 2 hour eco cycle 
🌞Liquid soap (20ml in the drum) and washing soda (1 tbsp in drawer) used to do washing
🌞Washing hung up to dry on racks
🌞Reorganised my summer tops so I have a clearer idea of what I have
🌞Not immediately money saving, but I bought 2 new bras from Snag. They claim to have developed a very clever style with no underwire. As long as they fit and are comfortable they should save me money as my bras always end up in the bin because the underwire pops out and nothing seems to hold it in again.
🌞I bought black tights and two pairs of chub rub shorts with the bras, which meant I got 15% off and free delivery. It's all stuff I need and good quality so should be a good investment.
🌞Limited toilet flushing
🌞Checked all my spending was up to date on my Notion s/s.
🌞 Have done a quick budget check up and canceled a couple of DD for things I didn't think I was using enough or could justify another way.
🌞HM bread at lunchtime
🌞Batch cooked dinner so another 2 or 3 portions there

I think that's all for today. Getting quite tired now so I'll head to sleep I think. Sweet dreams, everyone.

Cheery_Daff

Good work 😊 I love my Snag tights and shorts 😊 Do need to go through my wardrobe too so thanks for the reminder 😊

DawnW

Snag bras are brilliant!